ABOUT ME
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August 30, 2004 - Monday |
I am a gamer. I've been known all over the internet for the past 3 years by the handle/nickname
of "XplOrOrOr". Posting on may gamer forums. Partaking in many betas, playing many game releases, and as a member of a
few Guilds/Clans/Player Associations. Sometimes I play hardcore, sometimes casual, depending on my free time.
I am currently into playing MMORPGs (Massive Multiplayer Role Playing Games.) Some MMORPGs I have played
are Runescape, Astonia 3, Asheron's Call, El Karidian, Anarchy Online, EverQuest, EvE Online, and Dark Age of Camelot.
Along with many others.
I heard about the internet in 1994 when U.S.A. President George H. Bush signed some legislation allowing the general
public easier, freer, and more public access, to the internet. (Which has been in use since the 1950's). I never checked it out until the end of 1999. When I met some
girls who were into the internet. They showed it to me on their computers at their houses when I went over. I never used it, but just casually watched, not really intrested.
In early 2000, I later checked out the internet on my own at my local libary. It was my first time ever using it! Then took some free classes to better understand it.
As I got better at using it, I discovered the world of chat rooms, programming web pages, and... GAMES! Lots of FREE games!
The first internet game I played was Star Kingdoms. It was extreemly fun. A friend I made online in that game got me into
Runescape. I also heard about some new game called Star Wars Galaxies that was still in development. It was at a site
called Station.com, which had a load of other free games. Games like Infantry, Tanarious,and Cosmic Rift, which
kept me addicted for months.
It was 2001 - after getting much better at using the internet, I used its power to find out about even more games. Games like
Star Craft, Diablo, Ages of War, and many, many, many, others! I was solid addicted for months and months!
I was still watching the development of Star Wars Galaxies (SWG), for many reasons....
- First I am a die-hard Star Wars fan. I grew up with Star Wars during my entire childhood. The music, magic, story, spaceships, Jedi, and other
characters like Han Solo and Boba Fett, captured my attention and imagination for years.
- Second, since I want to one day own and run my own buisness, I am always taking notes and observing all the development surrounding any new buisness.
In this case the buisness surrounding the start of a new MMORPG game - the start of its forums, the start of its commuity, the interaction
between its game designers/developers and the fans/gamers, the costs and implimentation of its design. And its life aka "growing up".
- Third, I am a gamer. I enjoy playing every type of game. MMORPGs were a new thing to me. I was having fun being there, posting in the forums, even
influencing some of its development, being there for its conception, watching it grow, and later seeing the release of a whole new major game.
By 2002, I had 2 years of hardcore gaming behind me. I had played numerous free online browser based games, free demos, purchased many PC games, and
console games (for my SONY Playstation). The only thing cutting edge new in gaming was MMORPGs. And SWG was set to be the most cutting edge of this
new cutting edge industry. I had heard about EverQuest (EQ), and even Ultima Online (UO). UO seemed far too outdated, so I was not intrested at all in
checking it out. EQ I thought about checking out, but instead saved my money for other newer MMORPGs. Like the one and only Anarchy Online!
I would first check out, and play Asheron's Call, after finding out they were giving out free trials for their MMORPG. It was an older MMORPG, as old as EQ.
I would never have played it, nor heard about it, if it were not giving out free trials. I played it free for one month. It was a very fun, very enjoyable experience.
I still have the memories - my first time in the gameworld, exploring the dungeons, enemy NPC monsters pursuing me, the sting of death, and the wonderful player community.
After my one month free trial ran out, I decided to not subscribe and pay to play. Mostly because I heard there was an Asheron's Call 2 being made. I thought it would be
even better than the first AC.
I casually watched the conception, and development of Anarchy Online (AO). AO would end up getting released before SWG. The game was excellent, and even
cutting edge. But alas, it ended up with a horrible release because of some major game bugs that destroyed the game - making it near impossible to play.
Roughly 1 year after AO released, it took care of the major game bugs, and did a complete turnaround. Its revolutionary game mechanics, and game features,
were able to shine. I was solid addicted for 1 year after it became playble. And I still play it off and on to this very day.
Around late summertime 2002, a very good online friend got me EverQuest for free. The game, and a free trial of it. I can still remember the very first time I played EQ.
I was pleasently surprised at how much better it was than I thought it would be. EQ is an IMMENSE game! After my one month free trial ended, I and some other real life friends,
payed to play and subscribe to it. We were hooked solid for roughly 6 months, all the way to the end of 2002.
Aaand, I would get into the Asheron's Call 2 BETA TEST! I was estactic! I tried my hardest to help in any way and every way, to make AC2 be the best possible game. I instead
got a hard lession in how to NOT run a buisness, how NOT to run a beta test, how NOT to treat a game's fanbase, how NOT to do community relations, and... how NOT to make a MMORPG.
I still kept trying, even after realizing AC2 would fail before it released. Everything I, and many other beta testers, and AC and AC2 fans, said would happen if certain things
were not done.... came true to this very day. The hardest hitting proof is the current dismally low subscription numbers AC2 has... 6,000 total accounts on avarage. *sniff*
It became 2003. I was watching SWG as close as ever, as it was nearing completion. I would even pre-order TWO copies right after its final, official, release date was
announced on its official site. In the meantime Dark Age of Camelot (DAoC) already came out. So did Shadow Bane, EvE Online (EvE), Earth and Beyond (EnB), El Karidian (ElK),
and some others. None had free trials because they were all too new. I thought about buying DAoC and checking it out, but I decided to instead keep saving my money, and TIME,
for SWG. I kept playing AO off and on, but more casually now.
In late June 2003 IT HAPPENED! Star Wars Galaxies:An Empire Divided got released! I picked up my pre-ordered, reserved, copies, and rushed home, ready to play
it on first day of release! It turned out tooo many players were trying to login at the same time and the game crashed, unable to be played on first day of release. I tried
on the second day of release, and GOT IN! Whooo Hoooo!
I would spend the next 4 months with 95% of the rest of my life on hold, taking my paid vacation from work, and vacation from family (who were not playing SWG), friends
(who were not playing SWG), going out, all my other hobbies and intrests, and everything else... to play SWG !!!
2004 comes. I cut down on my hardcore SWG playing, and play more and more casual. Real life grabs me around the neck, and drags me kicking and screaming away from my computer.
I would still stay into the internet. Still getting better at using it, and even doing some programming. Still gaming, still posting on various game sites, and still remembering
why I like being a gamer sooo much. In July 2004 I checked out some other MMORPGs, after they started giving out free trials.
First EvE online. It is a space only MMORPG. Simular in many ways to another space only MMORPG named Earth and Beyond - which went out of buisness earlier in 2004. I had a lot
fun playing it. It succeeded in setting the feeling, and mood, of being in space, flying a spaceship around, visiting planets, spacestations, astroids, and other phenomina. It
has some very unique game mechanics, and game features. I liked it. After my FREE trial was over, I made a note to subscribe to it in the future when I had much more free time.
Next was Dark Age of Camelot. It had been out for a looong time, and was finaly giving out free trials. I found the beginning play is very simular to EverQuest. The main goal of the game
is to engage in Realm Vs. Realm (RvR) warfare. A type of Player Vs Player (PvP) combat. I still have not made it to that level yet. I was horrified to learn that DAoC once allowed players
to skip from level 1 to level 30!?! Now they allow players to skip from level 1 to level 20!?! I on purpose decided to NOT skip any levels!
At the moment it is August 2004. I am eagerly waiting for EverQuest 2 to get released. With almost as much anticipation as I had for SWG. I am also keeping an eye on World of Warcraft and
its release. Also Guild Wars. In the meantime I am still casually playing AO, and SWG. While checking out DAoC, and EvE. And posting on various computer game forums and boards. I have to
also make sure I do not ignore Real Life again, or else it will grab me around the neck like it did before, and drag me from my computer. I do not want to force things to get to that breaking point.
My plan(s) for the future is to spend all of 2005 with my entire life on hold. While I play EverQuest 2, and maybe World of Warcraft. And maybe, maybe, Guild Wars. Yes, it will very likely result
in Real Life having to grab me around the neck... again... and drag me from my computer... again. But hey, at least I will be having tons of fun, and some nice memories! Which is what life is all about,
and all one is left with anway.... during the hour, and minute, they die at the end of one's life.
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"Nothing I can do,
cuz' life is a lesson,
you learn it when you're through!"
- Limp Bizkit "Now I Know Why You Wanna' Hate Me"
- XplOrOrOr |
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GAMING
MOVIES
MUSIC
BOOKS
BUISNESS
SPACE, PLANETS, GALAXIES, UNIVERSE
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